This invention relates generally to footwear, and more specifically pertains to a casual, leisure, outdoor, work, slippers, sandals, and athletic shoes wherein an elastic or other material band, hereafter referred to as the banding device is molded, stitched or otherwise applied to the footwear in any location. The banding device will be of a linear length, and may or may not be molded or formed into a circular band embodiment. The banding device will have various colors, designs, team names, logos, characters, or other indicia, printed, embossed, stitched or otherwise embellished upon one or both sides of the banding device. Therefore, when the banding device is reversed, repositioned or turned over a different color, design, team name, logo, character, or other indicia will be revealed.
In this embodiment the banding device may be permanently attached to the shoe, or be removable, wherein an undetermined number of replacement banding devices may be supplied with the shoe providing the wearer a multitude of choices for decorating or customizing the shoes to reveal different color, design, team name, logo, character, or other indicia. The shoe surface itself at any location of the shoe but with specific emphasis on the midsole, outsole and counter areas may have a groove, channel molded inset, carve out or other indented means to hold the banding device in place. The groove, channel, molded inset, or carve out or other indented means may have a flange or lip design on the midsole, or outersole which will facilitate the banding device from accidentally coming disengaged. The depth of the groove, channel, and the like has sufficient depth to store several of the banding device upon one shoe. The combination of the banding device material being elasticized with components that expand and retract and the above mentioned groove, molded inset, carve out or other indented means will provide for retention to the shoe regardless if the banding device is permanently affixed or removable. Conversely, there are instances when there is no need for the groove, channel, molded inset, or carve out or other indented means to be used in conjunction with the banding device invention. The banding device, when used on the midsole, outsole, counter or any other part of the shoe, may serve as a closing device to replace traditional shoe laces as later shown in FIG. 16. Further, the banding device may be used on the outsole or midsole, or in combination of the outsole, midsole and other shoe part such as the rear counter, or upper at any position to provide the wearer a customized compression means, wherein the wearer can adjust the tension of the banding device for a firmer, or a softer customized fit in different areas underfoot to allow this invention to be utilized in a technical means that the wearer may desire for whatever activity or change of activity, for example running, bicycling, court activities, walking, cross training, weight lifting, aerobics, yoga, boxing, or any of the other sports activities that modern day performance athletic shoes are used for. In a technical shoe environment, the banding device invention may be affixed or attached to the shoe wherein, there is a closure means to tighten or loosing the tension as preferred by the wearer. In another embodiment the banding device may be removable and several other banding devices may be supplied that are of a different durometers, tension, size, and or shape, material that will provide the wearer with many choices of a custom fit depending on the banding device used. By example one banding device may provide no deflection or torque on impact, another banding device provide medium torque or deflection on impact, and another banding device provide maximum torque or deflection on impact. This banding device can be made of any material such as canvas, nylon or other textile, or of rubber compound, PVC, Polyurethane, TPR, or for that matter any other materials that are used in shoe making that are known to those that are skilled in the art. Further the banding device may be of a pre-molded or fabricated design.
Obviously, numerous styles of footwear, constructed of various components, for achieving a multitude of purposes, have long been considered in the prior art. Most of these types of innovations have been in the area of running or athletic shoes, which has been substantially in vogue for the past three decades, wherein various styles of modifications to the soles, to make them more resilient, or add to the efficiency of the runner, and various types of modifications to the structure of the shoe itself, such as even adding pockets to the side or within the tongue or gusset of the shoe have been considered in the prior art. For example, see the patent to Goria, U.S. Pat. No. 4,712,319, shows footwear with detachable visibility aids. The patent to Floyd, U.S. Pat. No. 4,712,477, shows a scented hunting strap that is adhered to the footwear to mask human odor when the user is hunting. The patent to Haber, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,473,518, shows a removable flashing light housing for an athletic shoe, apparently for safety or novelty for children. The patent to Lovitt, U.S. Pat. No. 6,112,437, shows animated display using LEDs for illumination and animation in conjunction with a display panel. The patent to Lin, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,754,985, uses a device as a fluorescent bar or strip held in position by fasteners as a decoration or reflective alert stripe.
Furthermore the patent to Wasserman, U.S. Pat. No. 4,697,362, reveals a means for insertion of a trademark logo or other marking, into a groove, held in place by Velcro or cement.
Initially, applicants have already obtained U.S. Pat. No. 6,574,887 relating to a reversible tongue technology, for reversal of the tongue, apart from this innovation of this invention which has a two piece construction with a Track and Slider mechanism.
These are examples of prior art. The current invention seeks further modifications to the structure of footwear, in order to add to the variations on usage of the shoe, enhance its styling, and enhance the attractiveness of the footwear, by providing alternative uses and applications to various components of the footwear itself, in order to provide the wearer with a technical, customized fit for performance improvement in various sport activities.